Win gives Colonels confidence

It was all about regaining confidence for Nicholls State University in Tuesday's nonconference baseball game against Alcorn State.

Teddy RenoisStaff Writer

It was all about regaining confidence for Nicholls State University in Tuesday's nonconference baseball game against Alcorn State.Nicholls jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back as starting pitcher Ryan Deemes pitch five shutout innings in an 8-1 over Alcorn State at Ray E. Didier Field.Tuesday's game was a late addition to the schedule as both Nicholls and Alcorn State lost a game to weather earlier in the season. For Nicholls, the game couldn't have come at a better time as the Colonels were coming off a series loss to Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana which included a 15-0 drubbing on Sunday.Nicholls head coach Seth Thibodeaux said his team may have lost some confidence against Southeastern Louisiana, so getting back on the field quickly was important as the Colonels prepare for the final two conference series of the season."It was really important to get back on the field. We did what we were supposed to do and that was take care of business. We got some good at bats, we got some guys on the mound, and we made plays on defense. We got our confidence back," Thibodeaux said. "We went out and got our 27th win, and that is important to our guys because we want to win 30. That is one of our goals. But, it was just good to get back on the field and get our confidence back."It didn't take the Colonels (27-23 overall) long to feel confidant again thanks to four-run first inning.Philip Lyons and Leo Vargas both walked to start the bottom of the first inning, and both scored on Keith Cormier's triple down the right-field line.Cormier would eventually score on a wild pitch for a 3-0 lead, and three batters later, Tyler Duplantis connected on an RBI-single to make it 4-0.The Colonels batted around in the inning, and with two outs had the bases loaded, Lyons hit sharp grounder to the Braves' shortstop, but David Zorn couldn't get out of the way and was hit with the ball in fair territory for the third out.Nicholls added a run in the second inning and another in the fourth thanks to Seth Stevens (3-for-4, two RBIs) coming up with run-scoring singles in each inning.The Colonels final two runs came in the fifth inning on Leo Vargas' two-run single for an 8-0 lead.Alcorn State (10-40) only run came in the sixth inning as Scotty Peavy walked, went to third on Earl Burl's single and scored on an error to make it 8-1. The Braves' run came off reliever Cole Stapler, as Deemes (3-3) finished his five innings giving up no runs on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Stapler gave up the run on three hits, a walk and a strikeout in an inning of work. Zach Thiac and Marc Frazier finished the game for Nicholls.While the Colonels didn't score again after the fifth inning, they were in control of the game from start to finish. Cormier said just getting the win is a real boost of confidence."We didn't play our best last week and we knew that. We should have won that series, but this was a great game to get our feet back under us, We want to get into our full stride at the end of the season," Cormier said. "We just came out and handled our business, and it didn't matter who our opponent was on the field. We just wanted to play the we play. It could've been anybody out here and the score would've been the same."Alcorn State was led by Christian Hickman (3-for-3) and Joshua Powell (2-for-4) at the plate, while starting pitcher Daniel Belmont (0-7) took the loss. Belmont lasted just two innings giving up five runs on four hits with six walks and no strikeouts. Jonathan Morales, Colton Laird, Jesus Vasquez and Danny Corona all worked in relief for the Braves.With the mid-week schedule complete, Nicholls can turn its attention to this weekend's conference series at Stephen F. Austin beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday in Nacogdoches, Texas. The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday and concludes with the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.The Lumberjacks have struggled this season and are near the bottom of the conference standings fighting to stay alive for a postseason berth.Nicholls is in a three-way tie for second place in the conference with Sam Houston State and McNeese State, and the trio sit one game behind leader Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the standings.Thibodeaux said he expects Stephen F. Austin to play its best in its final home series of the season, but he hopes his team can carry this momentum into the series and remain in the hunt for that first-ever Southland Conference regular-season championship."They want to spoil it for us, and it will be senior weekend for them at home. We know we are going to get their best shot, but we need to go there and win a series," Thibodeaux said. "Being one game back (in the standings), sometimes that makes you hungrier and that is good. We are right where we need to be with six games left and we are one game out. I would take that anytime and it is making us focused and hungrier."

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